Measures begin to curb EEE

Gerry Tuoti, Staff Writer

Monday

May 7, 2007 at 12:01 AMMay 7, 2007 at 7:04 AM

With last summer’s mosquito-borne Eastern Equine Encephalitis infections still fresh in minds across southeastern Massachusetts, public officials are already undertaking efforts to keep the region’s mosquito population in check.

In Bristol and Plymouth counties, which were the epicenter of the state’s EEE scare last year, the local mosquito control task forces have been dropping mild pesticides into mosquito breeding waters in an effort to kill the insects’ larval offspring.

With last summer’s mosquito-borne Eastern Equine Encephalitis infections still fresh in minds across southeastern Massachusetts, public officials are already undertaking efforts to keep the region’s mosquito population in check.

In Bristol and Plymouth counties, which were the epicenter of the state’s EEE scare last year, the local mosquito control task forces have been dropping mild pesticides into mosquito breeding waters in an effort to kill the insects’ larval offspring.

“We’re in the process of doing aerial larvaciding,” said Wayne Andrews, superintendent of Bristol County Mosquito Control.

In Bristol County, officials are using a granular form of BTI, a bacterial pesticide they incorporate into small pieces of corn cob. Plymouth County officials are using a liquid spray form of the agent.

“The impact is minimal to non-targets,” Andrews said.

Ellen Bidlack, an entomologist with Plymouth County Mosquito Control, said the early spring mosquitoes that are currently active do not carry EEE or the West Nile Virus.

“We don’t really expect to see diseases in mosquitoes before July at the earliest,” she explained.

Last year was one of the worst on record in terms of EEE infections in the Commonwealth. The virus killed two people in Southeastern Massachusetts in 2006, including 9-year-old Johnny Fontaine of Middleboro. Derek Ashworth of Rochester and Sheila Clark of Lakeville were infected with EEE and survived, but Clark is still reportedly going through the rehabilitation process.

State Department of Public Health officials explained that the swampy terrain in Plymouth and Bristol counties makes the region especially vulnerable to high mosquito populations. Combined with heavy spring rains that created ideal mosquito breeding pools, the southeastern region become the epicenter of the EEE crisis last year.

It remains to be seen how this summer will go.

“It really is going to depend on the weather,” Bidlack.

Andrews said Raynham’s Hockomock Swamp and Pine Swamp are high on his organization’s list of targets for larvaciding.

Plymouth County Mosquito Control began aerial larvacide spraying last month. The operation will cover 2,500 more acres than last year, bringing the total coverage to 14,000 for the county, Bidlack explained.

“We’re also checking standing water by hand,” she said. “People can call in and request that we check their property.”

The deadly EEE virus isn’t new to Massachusetts — there have been 87 human cases since 1938 — but 2006 was one of the worst years to date.

To put things in perspective, 144 mosquito pools tested positive for the virus last year. In 2005, which was also considered a bad year EEE, there were 45 EEE-positive pools.

In the last two years, all eight human cases of EEE have been in Plymouth and Bristol counties.

EEE, which causes death in about 30 percent of human cases, can produce symptoms ranging from high fever and stiff neck to swelling of the brain.West Nile Virus, which is characterized by symptoms similar to those of EEE, is also carried by mosquitoes. Since 2001, when the virus first appeared in Massachusetts, it has infected 55 people. West Nile Virus peaked in 2002, when there were 25 human cases. Last year, two people, one from Arlington and one from Webster, contracted the virus.

Birds carrying West Nile Virus were detected last year in 22 Massachusetts communities, including Taunton, Raynham, Norton, Bridgewater and Middleboro.Health officials recommend reducing the risk of EEE and West Nile Virus by avoiding mosquitoes as much as possible. Using insect repellent, eliminating pools of standing water and limiting outdoor activity at dawn and dusk are the best ways to reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes.

To request the services of the mosquito control task forces, call (508) 823-5253 in Bristol County, or (781) 585-5450 in Plymouth County.

gtuoti@tauntongazette.com

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